River Cross boondoggle — a recipe for rejection
It’s rare for a development in Central Florida to get turned down by elected officials. But the backers of the proposed River Cross project in eastern Seminole County showed exactly how to do just that.
Seminole County commissioners’ rejection of it in a 4-0 vote last week might have its origins in the name itself: River Cross. Really? Crossing the treasured Econlockhatchee River, which spans east Seminole County as well as east Orange County, has always been seen as the death knell for this iconic river. Its banks teem with threatened animals and plants that would be harmed by a huge development like this — 1,300 residences and 1.5 million square feet of shops, businesses and restaurants.
Not only would pollution from runoff foul the river itself, a bridge across it and its accompanying sewer and water lines would open the entire east side to crowded developments, which aren’t allowed there now. Instead, you can have a home on 5 acres or more, which is what residents there love about it.
Tone deafness reeked throughout the developer’s pitch to the commission. How bad was it? Even Commissioner Brenda Carey, always a dependable vote for any new development, voted no.
Here is River Cross’ recipe for getting your project rejected by a commission, even one as pro-business as Seminole.
It’s hard to remember representatives for a developer or landowner being as strident and bullying as the attorneys were at last week’s meeting. From the Lowndes law firm in Orlando, they viciously attacked the county staff, who had presented a thorough and sound analysis of River Cross. The Lowndes attorneys all but ignored that Seminole voters in 2004 declared the area rural off limits to just this sort of mega-project. It would not only hurt the quality of life for residents there but also for others who enjoy the Econ for its outdoors escape.
What quickly became clear is that the attorneys’ attack was a precursor to a challenge in federal court. But Seminole County has little to worry about if this is how they would act before a judge or jury. Besides that, this federal court foray all seems predicated on the idea that a small part of River Cross would fill an affordable-housing vacuum. But wait a minute. This affordable housing-gimmick depends on the project receiving government subsidies. If it doesn’t, it reverts to normal rental rates, code for sky high. Oh, well.
While hundreds of Seminole residents showed up to protest River Cross, the developer could scare up hardly anyone besides the landowner himself to support it. The owners are the Clayton family, long known in Central Florida for this very scenario — turning their rural land into profitable urban development by getting three commissioners to go along with them. The outrageous profit margin is buried in the cheap land. Turns out the other Clayton who co-owns the land didn’t even have the patience to sit through the whole hearing. He apparently had something better to do and hightailed it out of there.
Seminole planners had a field day with River Cross, which has been pushed by lobbyist Chris Dorworth, who first tried unsuccessfully to get legislators to pave the way for it. Seminole — meaning taxpayers — can’t afford the onslaught of expensive services like roads and fire stations that would be needed there just so Chris Dorworth can get a big payday. Plus, there is still plenty of room elsewhere in the county for such a development. In fact, Seminole cities are hoping for it.
Dorworth’s big argument is that River Cross and all its supposed innovations would partner with the University of Central Florida because it is only a few miles away. But that distance is how the crow flies. Driving would be 9 miles! Casselberry would be almost as close to UCF. What’s more, UCF has given no indication that it’s interested in getting involved with this boondoggle on any level. Nor should anyone else.